Title
a. Reject the single bid for the grounding work proposed for the Information Technology, Radio Communications site located on Mount Toro;
b. Approve the revised Plans and Specifications for the Mount Toro Grounding Project No. 5108, Bid Package No. 10395; and
c. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to Advertise the Notice to Contractors in The Californian.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Reject the single bid for the grounding work proposed for the Information Technology, Radio Communications site located on Mount Toro;
b. Approve the revised Plans and Specifications for the Mount Toro Grounding Project No. 5108, Bid Package No. 10395; and
c. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer to Advertise the Notice to Contractors in The Californian.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On June 28, 2012, the Board approved the Plans and Specifications for the Mount Toro Grounding Project No. 5108, Bid Package No. 10360, at 20600 Corral De Cielo, Salinas, California. The Project was advertised and a single bid was opened on July 23, 2012. Newton Construction & Management, Inc. submitted the only bid in the amount of $40,200. As one of the requirements of the bid, the respondents were required to provide proof of Harris Certification. Newton Construction notified the County that their certification on file had expired and that they would need to apply for re-certification, which could take several months. It is recommended that Newton Construction's bid be rejected as non-responsive.
Staff has been determined that the Harris Certification requirement can be removed from the bid Plans and Specifications while still meeting the grounding requirements for the site. Based on an informal survey of contractors who attended the bid walk-through but who did not submit bids, it is expected that removal of this requirement will result in more bids without adversely affecting the quality of the work to be performed. In order to ensure the grounding needs of this site are fully met, Lyncole Grounding Solutions, LLC, the consultant who has provided the specifications for this project, will review the work upon completion. The Plans and Specifications previously approved remain essentially unchanged other than the removal of the certification requirement. This recommendation to reject the bid submitted by Newton Construction and approve the release of the revised Plans and Specifications will allow the Contracts/Purchasing Office to follow proper processes in engaging a contractor. The bid opening is set for November 15, 2012.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Office of the County Counsel and Contracts/Purchasing support the recommendation. The Office of the County Counsel, Auditor-Controller, and Risk Management, have reviewed and approved the contract documents as to form and legality, fiscal terms, and insurance provisions, respectively.
FINANCING:
In anticipation of this project, ITD originally set the FY 2011-12 site occupancy rates for Mount Toro occupants to reflect the estimated project costs. Due to the project not being completed within FY 2011-12 where the revenue was collected, the Auditor/Controller's Office approved the deferral of the site revenue in the amount of $36,800 to an existing restricted account INF001, Account 2883. The $36,800 has been transferred from Account 2883, into the appropriate ITD INF001 revenue accounts to act as funding for the expense which will occur within this FY 2012-13. The remaining balance needed to complete this project plus ten percent contingency will be derived from funds originally allocated for FY 2012-13 site costs. There is no impact to the General Fund as a result of this action.
Prepared by: Sarah House, Management Analyst, 755-5108
Approved by: Dianah Neff, Director of Information Technology, 759-6923
Attachments: Location Map, Complete Bid Packet (on file with the Clerk of the Board)